


Proper Fascinating

by amusensical



Series: Carrying On [1]
Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode 180, Gen, M/M, Meanwhile Back on the Bear, Missing Scene, Nerd is my Love Language, Takes One to Know One, Walking on a Bear, vulgarity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:20:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28621686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amusensical/pseuds/amusensical
Summary: Meanwhile, back on the bear, Carter shares his discoveries.
Relationships: Commander James Barnes/Howard Carter (Rusty Quill Gaming)
Series: Carrying On [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2097552
Comments: 13
Kudos: 26





	Proper Fascinating

**Author's Note:**

> Partly inspired by [if i could have you always](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28594581) by [MissSunFlower94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSunFlower94/pseuds/MissSunFlower94). 
> 
> These events follow [ Out of the Corner of His Eye](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28566651).

After the eagles swoop off with Zolf and the others, and after the council confirms that the other visitor seems healthy, still confined to quarters, Barnes goes to the ship with Earhart, a couple of Ursans, and the kobolds. 

Whatever language spell allows for conversation with the Ursans, they expand it so they can all understand each other. The kobolds with their belts and pockets and the Ursans with their aprons speak basically the same language anyway, calipers and grease and different kinds of screws. Bolts. One of those. 

In the engine room, watching Sassraa leading a discussion around a pile of disassembled parts, Earhart elbows Barnes, grinning, “Sounds like progress, whatever the fuck they’re talking about.” 

“Wouldn’t know, I’m just a sailor. Glad to see it, though.”

“You may as well go back. Just check in, make sure nobody is causing trouble.” 

“You mean Carter.” 

“Not just Carter,” Earhart says, sighs. “Yes. I mean Carter.” 

“Don’t know what to say, exactly,” Barnes starts, trying to articulate what he’s noticed, what is different. “He doesn’t seem to be in a troublemaking mood.” 

Earhart looks over her glasses. 

“It’s like he doesn’t need attention like he did before, or something. He listens.” Barnes shrugs. 

“It might wear off. Take care of him,” says Earhart. 

“Aye. See you at dinner.”

~

Barnes steps off the gangway, heads toward the inn. Carter falls in at his shoulder, which is expected. 

_Doesn’t start talking, which isn’t._

It’s past midday, and a few people are still in the dining area, finishing bowls of soup, chasing the drips with flatbread. Without the kobolds and the rest it’s quiet.

“Wonder how they’re doing,” says Barnes as they get bowls, cups of water, bread.

“Safe, or anyway not afraid,” says Carter.

“What do you mean? How would you know?” 

“Wilde. Since the, thing,” Carter swirls his hand around, “I would know something bad. Would know something really good, too, actually.” 

“Huh. That’s, um, useful, I guess?” 

Carter just gives him a steady look.

“So you’ll tell me?”

“I’ll tell you.” Carter bumps against his shoulder, then leans. “Hey, there’s something I want you to see, in the city, will you come?”

“That would be good, see the place a bit.”

~

Carter leads, long legs setting a quick pace, but steady. 

“Down this way. Watch your head.”

There are stairs, and ramps, then another flight of stairs, and another ramp that ends on another huge platform, one side open to the sky. Barnes feels the ponderous gait of the bear beneath them, the creak of timber and rope just beyond hearing. At the open edge, a railing, and instruments. There is something like a telescope, and something like a sextant, but mounted, and something like a weather vane. At the other side, a matrix of scaffolding, mostly timber, some metal pipes. There are machines bolted into the timbers, or at least collections of parts with moving wheels and fans, busy but quiet. 

An orc is working on one of the machines with a giant wrench, turning something, then listening, turning, listening. They are wearing a bright blue tunic, quilted against the cold. They raise the wrench, then try again, turning, then listening. 

“What is this place?” asks Barnes.

“Not sure exactly,” says Carter. “Something to do with the cranes. And that lot over there is navigation, maybe weather.” 

“Makes sense, I suppose.” 

“Along there is pipes and some properly huge barrels of water,” says Carter, pointing to another ramp at the wall edge of the platform.

“So why are we here?” 

“I thought you might want to bring Cel here,” says Carter. 

Barnes coughs, caught between laughter and astonishment. He manages to close his mouth, but can’t control his eyebrows. 

Carter continues. “It’s totally what they would want to see. And you should.” 

After a moment he can speak, manages, “Really.”

“Really. They will be _really happy_ to see this. And possibly _grateful_ ,” and there it is, the grin.

“The fuck, Carter,” laughs Barnes. “Are you saying I should bring Cel here, like on a _date_?”

“That’s what I’m saying. They are totally into mechanical stuff. And you. Totally into you.”

“And that’s all right?”

“I get that.” The grin, with a different edge. 

“Oh.” Barnes feels his ears go pink.

“And maybe, you’re into them. So you should.” 

“Huh.” 

“Yeah. You’re mine, but I don’t own you. And Cel is proper fascinating.” 


End file.
